Casselton, North Dakota

Casselton is a city in Cass County, North Dakota, United

States.[1] The population was 2,329 at the 2010 census.[5]
making it the twentieth largest city in North Dakota. Casselton was founded in 1876. The city is named in honor of
George Washington Cass, a president of the Northern Pacic Railway, which established a station there in 1876 to
develop a town for homesteaders. Casselton is the hometown of ve North Dakota governors.

History

Casselton had its origin in 1873 when the Northern Pacic Railway sent Mike Smith to plant cottonwood and
willow trees in the area to serve as windbreaks along the
right-of-way. They planned to harvest the trees for lumber to use as railroad ties, but the experiment failed for a
number of reasons.
Marsh Self Binder at work on the Dalrymple Farm, 1877[6]

In 1874, Emil Priewe and his wife joined Mike Smith at

the station. The Priewes son, Harry, was born on March
28, 1875 in a sod shanty, the rst child born in the developing village. Others came to settle and by 1880, the
town had a population of 376, according to the ocial
census. A school was organized in 1876 and the town
was incorporated as a village in 1880.

until 1920. In the 1920s, railroad personnel were transferred to other locations, and as a result, the population
of Casselton fell 285 persons between 1920 and 1930.
Casselton installed a city water and sewer system in the
mid-1920s. Water was pumped from artesian wells, and
stored in a standpipe which was located on the east part
of town. Today, that site is used as a winter skating rink.
Looking like a gigantic culvert, the standpipe was 110 feet
(34 m) tall and was kept until 1956.

The hamlet was variously called the Nursery, Goose

Creek and Swan Creek, named for the stream that meandered through the area. In 1876, the railroad established a station called Casstown, after George Cass, the
railroad president. When the post oce was established
on August 8, 1876, the name Casselton was designated. By 1957, the Great Northern Railway no longer had a
need for the Casselton reservoir. They deeded the 73
During the 1870s, George Cass and Peter Cheney traded
acres (300,000 m2 ) of land, which encompassed that
their railroad stock for 10,000 acres (40 km2 ) of land body of water, to the City of Casselton. The reservoir
near Casselton and decided to develop the property as
was developed to be used as a municipal water supply
one large farm, rather than dividing the land into small until March 1978, when the citys water started to come
tracts. They employed Oliver Dalrymple, of southern from the Leonard Phase of the Cass Water Users SysMinnesota, to head the operation. These Bonanza farms tem. The reservoir area has since been developed into a
became highly successful and proved that the prairie was recreational center with softball diamonds, tennis courts,
very suitable for agriculture.
picnic tables and the like.
Various means were used to attract immigrants from Eu- The streets of Casselton were improved through municirope and migrants from the East looking for a piece of pal and state eorts. In 1927, the downtown roads were
land or the chance to become tradesmen and profession- graveled. In 1930, as a US Works Progress Administraals. Casseltons population reached 1365 in 1885.
tion project under the President Franklin D. Roosevelt
administration during the Great Depression, the federal
government paid local workers to pave State Highway No.
18 through the city. After World War II, the business district streets were paved with concrete. Since that time, all
streets and avenues have been hard-topped, and a modern

The Great Northern Railway had an additional inuence

in the growth of Casselton. Several branches radiated
from the city. The railroad excavated a reservoir to supply water for its steam engines. In 1906 the railway constructed a round house and service center which operated
1

4 DEMOGRAPHICS

storm sewer system was installed at the same time.

tem, Casselton has a humid continental climate, abbreviThe 19961997 school year opened with a newly com- ated Dfb on climate maps.
pleted, nearly $8 million Central Cass Public School
building. It replaced a three-story building on the same
site, that was dedicated in 1912 and cost $50,000. The 4 Demographics
school district covers nearly 400 square miles (1,000
km2 ), and attracts over 800 students. Because of the
4.1 2010 census
continued growth, an addition to the school complex was
completed in time for the 20032004 school year.
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,329 people, 874
Casselton is known for its population of American red households, and 633 families residing in the city. The
squirrels. Central Cass High School uses the squirrel as population density was 1,245.5 inhabitants per square
its mascot.
mile (480.9/km2 ). There were 926 housing units at an
average density of 495.2 per square mile (191.2/km2 ).
The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.1%
1.1 2013 train derailment
African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian,
0.4% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.
On December 30, 2013, a westbound BNSF train car- Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the popularying soybeans derailed approximately one mile west tion.
of Casselton. An adjacent eastbound BNSF train carThere were 874 households of which 42.9% had children
rying crude oil struck wreckage from the westbound
under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married
train (accident location 46544.82N 971359.42W /
couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder
46.9013389N 97.2331722W). The collision ignited the
with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder
crude oil and caused a chain of large explosions, which
with no wife present, and 27.6% were non-families.
[7][8][9]
were heard and felt several miles away.
The re23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and
sulting reball created a massive cloud of black smoke,
8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age
which prompted authorities to issue a voluntary evacuor older. The average household size was 2.66 and the
ation of the city and surrounding area as a precaution.
average family size was 3.17.
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting
[10]
The median age in the city was 34.6 years. 31.4% of
an investigation into the cause of the incident.
residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between
Although no casualties were reported, the incident octhe ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.3%
curred in proximity to a populated area and renewed
were from 45 to 64; and 10.5% were 65 years of age or
safety concerns regarding the transportation of hazardous
older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.4% male
materials by rail, especially in the wake of the Lacand 48.6% female.
Mgantic derailment in Canada earlier in the year. Casselton mayor Ed McConnell, acknowledging that the
town dodged a bullet, publicly called on the federal gov4.2 2000 census
ernment to review the dangers and urged lawmakers to
[10]
consider pipelines as a safer option.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,855 people, 702
households, and 509 families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,315.5 people per square mile
2 Geography
(508.0/km). There were 738 housing units at an average density of 523.4 per square mile (202.1/km). The
Casselton is located at 46540N 971238W / racial makeup of the city was 98.22% White, 0.16%
46.90000N 97.21056W (46.900028, 97.210668).[11] African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.16%
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 1.08% from two or
has a total area of 1.90 square miles (4.92 km2 ), of which, more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49%
1.87 square miles (4.84 km2 ) is land and 0.03 square of the population.
miles (0.08 km2 ) is water.[2]
There were 702 households out of which 40.7% had
children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0%
were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female
householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were
3 Climate
non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of
This climatic region is typied by large seasonal tem- individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was
perature dierences, with warm to hot (and often hu- 65 years of age or older. The average household size was
mid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) win- 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.
ters. According to the Kppen Climate Classication sys- In the city the population was spread out with 31.6% un-

3
der the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to
44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years
of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

[2] US Gazetteer les 2010. United States Census Bureau.

Retrieved 2012-06-14.

The median income for a household in the city was

$43,259, and the median income for a family was
$49,567. Males had a median income of $32,063 versus
$22,614 for females. The per capita income for the city
was $18,248. About 2.6% of families and 5.3% of the
population were below the poverty line, including 5.4%
of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

[4] Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau.

Retrieved June 2, 2016.

Area attractions

[3] American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau.

Retrieved 2012-06-14.

[5] 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)

Summary File. American FactFinder. United States
Census Bureau. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
[6] Nolan, Edward W. (1983). Northern Pacic views: The
railroad photography of F. Jay Haynes, 18761905. Helena, MT: Montana Historical Society Press. p. 9. ISBN
0-917298-11-X.
[7] Casselton train crash a huge accident but a coincidence;
Inforum; December 31, 2013.

Casselton was home to the worlds largest oil can pile/free

Nelson
UPDATE
3-Train
collision
standing structure. This tourist attraction was created in [8] Alicia
in
North
Dakota
sets
oil
rail
cars
ablaze
1933 by Max Taubert when a Sinclair gas station occuReuters
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/12/30/
pied the lot that included a hamburger stand. It is apnorthdakota-derailment-idINL2N0K919L20131230,
proximately 45 feet (14 m) tall, and is made of thousands
Dec. 30th, 2013, retrieved Dec. 30th, 2013
of oil cans. It was rescued from possible demolition in
2008 by a group of local volunteers.[14] Unfortunately, the [9] As oil train burns, 2,300 residents of Casselton, N.D.,
told to ee. Star Tribune. December 30, 2013.
business that agreed to house the pile temporarily wanted
the pile o its property and the pile was removed to an
[10] Train derailment: Mayor says ND town dodged bullet.
unknown location.
KABC-TV Los Angeles. December 31, 2013.

Transportation
I-94, US 52, ND 10, ND 18

Notable people

[12] Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015. Retrieved
July 2, 2016.
[13] United States Census Bureau. Census of Population and
Housing. Retrieved July 21, 2013.

Andrew H. Burke, 2nd Governor of North Dakota

(18911893)

[14] Casselton Can Pile

Jack Dalrymple, 32nd Governor of North Dakota,

(2010present)

9 External links

John H. Lang, highly decorated member of both the

Canadian army and US navy.
William Langer, 17th and 21st Governor of
North Dakota (19331934 & 19371939), Senator
(19411959)
George Sinner, 29th Governor of North Dakota
(19851992)

[11] US Gazetteer les: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United

States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-0423.

References

[1] Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) details

for Casselton, North Dakota; United States Geological
Survey (USGS); February 13, 1980.

City of Casselton
Casselton, North Dakota : community fact survey
(1967) from the Digital Horizons website
Souvenir book: Casselton diamond jubilee: June
16-17, 1954, Casselton, North Dakota from the
Digital Horizons website

10

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10.1

TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

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Text

Casselton, North Dakota Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casselton%2C_North_Dakota?oldid=729246902 Contributors: RamMan, RSM, Rambot, Darkwind, Seth Ilys, Bkonrad, Rice web, Rich Farmbrough, Mwmnp, KevinBot, Giraedata, Pearle, Riana, 25or6to4,
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